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Windsor, Ont., where pilots race over the Detroit River, has been a stop on the Red Bull Air Race circuit since 2009, and was scheduled to host the races again in 2011.

Red Bull Air Race has announced that it is cancelling its races worldwide for 2011, including the only Canadian stop.

The organization said Thursday on its website that it will use the time to fast-track technology to improve safety during the races, which involve high-speed flight manoeuvres through an obstacle course of large inflated pylons.

Windsor, Ont., was due to host the race in 2011, after holding successful events in both 2009 and 2010.

The small single-seater planes reach maximum speeds of close to 400 kilometres per hour, subjecting pilots to severe G-forces.

In April, a pilot from Brazil hit the water in Perth, Australia, but escaped with only minor injuries.

Extreme G-forces in the turns can make a pilot feel 10 times heavier than normal.